Why don't people believe in extraterrestrial life?

In my several months on ats.
I've notice there are about 3 types of people in the aliens forum: skeptics/debunkers, believers, and ignorant dbags.

the skeptics, and the believers, have their place in this forum. But the dbags do not.
If your wondering who the ignorant ones are, they're the ones who post things along the lines of calling any and all believers crazy or retarded.

Now see. Some might see these people may refer to themselves as skeptics. But that's not the case.

There is a difference between skepticism and ignorance.
A HUGE difference.
Allow me to explain:
skepticism is approaching any form of possible evidence in a way like such. "that object in the photo could be a UFO. But it could also be a weather ballon based on it's shape. But ya never know"

ignorance is when you look at any possible evidence and immeadeatly(sp) assume it's ffake or a hoax without even looking at the possibilities.


I mean how ignorant and close minded can you be?
I mean humans can't be the only species in the universe.
Just look at earth, we've got sooo many different species of mammal, reptile, bugs, etc etc etc. Most of which we haven't discovered yet.
Yes there's no direct proof aliens and ufos are real. But there's indirect proof. Which is alot more proof than there is for "they don't exist"


So why can't you ignorant ones open your mind? Just a wee bit. Maybe for like five minutes.
It's not as scary as it seems.
See what it's like.
If you don't like what you see, you can close your mind. An I will personally appologize to you for making you see something you didn't want to.

[edit on 31-3-2010 by wartooth420]

[edit on 31-3-2010 by wartooth420]

If your wondering who the ignorant ones are, they're the ones who post things along the lines of calling any and all believers crazy or retarded.

I think they are the ones that post here with the most outreagous claims with nothing to back them up. Kinda like jimi hendrix is an alien
www.abovetopsecret.com...
and people who start threads about waking up with no hair on their legs.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
And of course those who post old hoaxes and think they can be something other than an old hoax if you add "what are your thoughts?" at the end of it
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I mean how ignorant and close minded can you be?

That really depends, here on ATS "close minded" and "ignorant" gets used around here as "you do not think like i do so you are ignorant" . So how close minded and ignorant can you be? Depends on how much you are in opposition to the other guy.

reply to post by zaiger


lolol.
i never "claim" anything.
i simply post threads of random thoughts and findings for the purpose of discussion.
hence "what are your thoughts?"
this is a forum. so calling me ignorant for wanting discuss topics i come across..... is just plain ignorant xD

i can be ignorant at times. but not when it comes to discussions and things where an open mind is required(i.e. the subject of aliens and extraterrestrial life.)


so now i come to this, was the entire point of your post to be a jerk or a troll? if so, good job. you showed your maturity to the entire intrawebzzz xD

Yepp,

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. And some can actually abuse that. Unfortunate that people cant respect each other, but if that was the case, this site would have alot more crazier shi... stuff on it then it already does. Guess skeptics and believers need some check and balance, and the dbags are around to help unite them...

But we can definetly do without less Dbags
Why do country people see UFOs (Solved)

I think that it makes a lot of sense to come at a new UFO/alien claim with the assumption that it is a fake or a case of mistaken identity. Past experience would suggest that one of those contingencies are overwhelmingly likely. I'll still be on the lookout for any evidence of something truly alien, though.

As for open hostility toward 'believers' of one type or another, do you think things are really all that bad around here?

reply to post by wartooth420

You entitled your thread: "Why don't people believe in extraterrestrial life?"

In my rambles across the internet, I see one major deciding factor: The core "believers" are those who are convinced that they have experienced actual encounters or sightings. These people are quite numerous. You have many others (such as myself) who believe for a variety of other reasons. For myself, I have listened to what many of the core believers have to say and and I think the majority of them are sincere. The idea is also "integrative" if you know what I mean. In other words, even if you take it strictly as a hypothesis, it helps to explain other observed phenomena (such as some of my own dreams, to say nothing of the very numerous ufo sightings, and the old "religious" stories studied by people like Sitchin).

Outside these two groups you have what might be called the "disinterested skeptics." They have never had any experience that seemed to them to be an extraterrestrial encounter, and they have no abiding interests in topics that such encounters might shed light on.

And beyond these you have the vehement critics. Some of them are cultured and articulate. Some of them sound like idiots. What they seem to express, in varying degrees, is a real fear of the subject. If they didn't feel threatened by the subject, they would probably have no interest in throwing criticisms at it, or attempting to discredit it by encouraging gullible persons to post made-up or highly exaggerated experiences.

The subject is not a simple dichotomy of belief versus disbelief. It is a real subject with real experiences and real data behind it. It is a "hot" subject, so it has its enemies. They would not think twice about lying to make you think less of the subject. As far as I am concerned, their comments are not worth listening to. Listen to people who seem to be sincere, and come to your own conclusions. ETs are only part of the puzzle. But they are an important part.

I very definitely believe in extraterrestrial life. I would even bet good money that several moons in the outer solar system (Europa, Ganymede, Titan, Enceladus and possibly Triton and Charon) harbor life under the ice.

I have no trouble believing that there are many intelligent species populating this galaxy and others. Heck, here on Earth we have several species which may be sentient: Other than primates, there are pachyderms, cetacians, cephalopods and possibly even canines. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately )only one has combined brains with toolmaking and the ability to make fire (the prerequisites for communicating over interstellar distances), but still, the odds seem to favor a well-populated cosmos.

HOWEVER...

I have seen no compelling evidence that intelligent aliens are now or ever have been visiting Earth. Blurry pictures and shaky videos of blobs & lights don't cut it. Even if the images are clear, the probability that they are either mistakenly identified or outright hoaxes is far greater than them being alien spacecraft. I know that UFOs exist - I simply do not see any reason to think they are extraterrestrial in origin.

Lastly, my own humble solution to Fermi's Paradox is simple: The aliens don't come here because the gravity is too high - Their wings don't work!

reply to post by Saint Exupery


I'd give you applause for that post if I could, but since all I can give you is a star I'll give that, but surely I want to add you to my friends list after making such an eloquently stated post that I suspect represents the consensus of beliefs of the majority of the scientific community.

Brilliant posters like you should contribute here more often, it would make ATS a better place, but, I can understand why you might not

I was going to say more or less the same thing, but you said it better than I would have, so let me just say, I agree. I would only add that Carl Sagan said that just because there's no evidence ETs have visited Earth doesn't mean they haven't, and though he was open-minded to the idea of alien visitation, he never saw any evidence they had visited here either.

Why don't people believe in extraterrestrial life?

Because, imo, as some others have said, it's a matter of faith.

Lets go back, say, 1500 years.
The followers of jesus are running around telling all and sundry of the words and marvelous works of some guy called Jesus Christ.
Now, they have no evidence apart from some documents that could have been written by anybody and local folk lore.

Main stream people of the times think they are nuts, so they ask
"Why don't people believe in Jesus?"

Now lets go back a few more years.
You have the 'one god' believers trying to tell the pagans/savages to believe in him too.
They (pagans) see no proof of this so called one and only powerful god, all the priests have to go on is their own experiences and handed down tales of their own peoples.

Main stream people of the times think they are nuts, so they ask
"Why don't people believe in god?"

Back then the sightings and happenings were explained differently by the different faiths, same as now.
"I saw a flying ship!!"
"No you didn't, it was a sign from god"
"No, it was a falling star"

So it's all happening again, only this time it's belief in ufo's and, if no hard evidence presents itself, thats all it will ever be, a belief.

Thankfully we have outgrown the need to force that belief on everyone we meet. (well I hope we have)

I agree with you. Maybe they are just trolls, and have no interest in this site other than to ridicule claims that violate their mainstream perspective. To cry "FAKE" or "HOAX" without even exploring the possibility is just as bad as those who believe anything they see. I wonder how many people declared the Norway Spiral a photoshop when they first saw it?

it could be that some of these individuals who instantly ridicule other people for having a differing set of beliefs than they do are actually being paid to do so. they join forums and post trash just to divert the issues that are being discussed and cause divisiveness because in doing so they have accomplished their mandate. which is to sow chaos and prevent individuals and sites such as this who are interested in the phenomena from forming a common bond and sharing their understanding and thoughts about whether we are being visited or not.

[edit on 3.31.10 by toreishi]

first off - a counter question :

who are you addressing , EXACTLY ! Who are the ` people who dont believe in extra terrestrial life ` ?

because , to be blunt the overwhelming majority of people i have interacted wioth , who discount any posibility of extra terrestrial life , turn out to be religious fundamentalists

I broadly agree with what i think you are trying to get at with this thread, although i do think a distinction needs to be made.

There is a big difference between believing in extra-terrestrial life (this includes single cell organisms!), and extra-terrestrial INTELLIGENT life, and it's an even bigger leap to believe that intelligent extra-terrestrials are routinely visiting Earth.

Personally i believe extra-terrestrial life must exist somewhere in the universe, and would not be surprised if some form of life is found elsewhere in our solar system (Mars, and some of the large moons must be favourite.)

I also believe intelligent life probably exist elsewhere in the universe, although not anywhere nearby that could be reached in an appreciable time frame, and although there is no proof for this, there is also no proof against it.

Intelligent life visiting us however i'm sceptical about, mainly because it is improbable that a species technologically advanced enough to reach here from lightyears away would have any interest in such a low level species as our own.

However, unlike some, my beliefs do not blind me...and if some evidence is presented that challenges or even counters my beliefs i will consider it and allow it to shape my opinions accordingly....

If only some of the more closed minded could do the same.



by the way, this is my first post on ATS after a few months of lurking so please be gentle!

I am replying solely to your title here and yeah i know how frustrating it is but this is the way i see it, so please bear with me ok.
What you are asking is a double barreled question, you could say why do people believe in ET`s?
The problem that we have here is the veil of secrecy. Why would they believe, what reason or reasons would make people believe? I personally believe that we are not alone in the universe and on this planet. i say planet for the obvious reasons.
Its a clever system that we have had put onto us all here where we only know what we are allowed to know. We from a young age have been influenced by what we have learnt at schools etc, also tv, internet and radio. If there was something that was to happen to tv, radio and internet globally then we would be stuck. Writing is becoming a thing of the past, everything is done via technology now. (just my opinion) My children are forever wanting to do their homework on the computer. Anyone who mentioned ufo`s or ET`s 20 years ago was ridiculed whether it was at school or at work. Would you walk up to someone or even your friends and say you seen a ufo and feel totally comfortable with it?
Thats why people dont believe? or should i say seem to not believe?

Originally posted by wartooth420

Why don't people believe in extra-terrestrial life?

Originally posted by wartooth420

I've notice there are about 3 types of people in the aliens forum: skeptics/debunkers, believers....

Well, there you go. Some people do believe in extra terrestrial life. Just not everyone. Maybe think out the thread title a little more next time, buddy.

Also: we live in a rampantly ignorant society if you haven't noticed, just like our Govt. wants us. They want us gassy, lazy, forever intellectually incurious, watching re-runs, farting into the couch doing nothing with our lives, knowing we're going to breed prodigiously, and keep the whole cycle going on forever.

Do not fall for this.








[edit on 31-3-2010 by NightVision]

Originally posted by wartooth420
I mean how ignorant and close minded can you be?
I mean humans can't be the only species in the universe.

Firstly, non-believers are not necessarily ignorant or closed-minded. Statements that equate those who do not think what you think as "ignorant" is quite arrogant.

The second sentence is your assumption, a common one, and a basis for the search for life elsewhere.

However, there exists a reality in this debate we must accept. That is, we have no evidence of life existing anywhere outside of this planet at this point. None, no matter where and how we've looked.

And there exists a possibility that we must accept. That is, that we may be the first planet to evolve life of any kind. Some planet has to be the first.

I do not find it arrogant or closed minded to accept that reality and that possibility: it is fact-based and logical. Conversely, it seems many are arrogant and closed minded when believing that unidentified lights in the sky and testimony of countless people describing abduction by sex-experimenting aliens as "evidence" of external lifeforms.

I hope that sheds at least some light on your conundrum.

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Yeah why is that.

They think that if it isnt mentioned in the bible it isnt true or it is evil. I work with a christian organization called Younglife. If you talk about anything out of the ordinary, it must of been created by the devil to veer you off the path of God.

To some, aliens are a modernized version of demons. All this because they put a limit on what God can and cant do. Same with animals going to heaven. Just because it wasnt mentioned in the bible they think theres no chance. They think that we are the only living things that have a soul all because it wasnt mentioned in the bible.

Cant put a limit on God creativity.

Personally, the answer is simple - no proof = no belief, for the "dbags" that is.

Lets no worry about all the "stuff" in between, if there is no proof (ray guns & stuff)- it is so much fun posting inflammatory topics to get reactions from believers and the likes and sit back and bask in their own magnificence because they are just so clever.

...and around and around we go...

ATS as an addition to ignore, display next the the avatar how many ignores the person has against them - just to help weed out "dbags" and save us the time of writing replies and feeding the trolls some more.

Just my 3 yen.

I honestly think people who refuse to believe that their is intelligent life in the universe (other than mankind) are close-minded and ignorant. The Drake Equation says there is an estimated 10,000 intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy alone. The WOW Signal is highly probable to have come from extraterrestrial lifeforms. And those two things are hard science.

Now add to that the millions of UFO sightings and alien abduction reports throughout history.

[edit on 31-3-2010 by Viper2]

I think that the OP is over-simplifying the issue a little bit. The debate isn't just about the existence of extra-terrestrial life.

Its is about whether there is INTELLIGENT extra-terrestrial life - and whether this life has visited us on earth.

I don't think you will find many intelligent and educated people disagreeing with the possibility of life outside our planet. However, whether we have ever been visted by ET is a completely different issue.

John